NCT07169071

Effects of Expiratory Muscle Training in Children With Asthma: A Randomised Controlled Trial

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 30 (actual)
• Sponsor: Atlas University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 8 Years – 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The goal of this randomized clinical trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of expiratory muscle training (EMT) as an adjunct to conventional chest physiotherapy in children with asthma. Respiratory muscle training has been shown to improve muscle strength, functional capacity, and symptom control in adults with asthma, but evidence in pediatric populations is limited, particularly regarding expiratory training. This study aims to determine whether adding EMT to standard physiotherapy enhances pulmonary function, respiratory muscle strength, asthma control, and functional capacity compared to chest physiotherapy alone. The main questions are: (1) Does EMT improve expiratory muscle strength and pulmonary function in children with asthma? (2) Does EMT contribute to better asthma control and overall physical performance? Participants will be randomly assigned to either conventional chest physiotherapy or chest physiotherapy plus EMT. Interventions will be delivered as a home-based, low-cost, feasible program, with training protocols standardized in terms of intensity, frequency, and duration.

Conditions

• Asthma Childhood
• Respiratory Muscle Training

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Home-based chest physiotherapy program	he program will include breathing exercises, teaching of relaxation positions, cough training, breathing control strategies, and physical activity recommendations.
OTHER	Expiratory Muscle Training	Participants perform expiratory muscle training (EMT) using a threshold device at 30% of their maximum expiratory pressure (MEP). The program consists of twice daily sessions, each lasting 20 minutes, at least 5 days per week, for 8 weeks. Resistance will be increased by 10% each week, adjusted according to tolerance and the presence of any complaints for experimental group.

Timeline

• Start date: 2024-06-01
• Primary completion: 2025-07-31
• Completion: 2025-10-01
• First posted: 2025-09-11
• Last updated: 2025-12-18

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Turkey (Türkiye)